The Social BPs

I read a lot how BPs hide alllllll the time etc..in fact it made me freak out when my new lady wasn't. For the first few days I had her she was in her hide all the time but as she's getting used to things she comes out a lot. Mainly at night (seeing as they are nocturnal) but sometimes after I handle her or if I open the terrarium to mist she comes out to say hello. Still nervous to be held but she enjoys exploring!

I guess my point is that everyone's snake has a different personality! :snake:

same with volvagia, I think she loves to be out exploring! :D

Tuna seems to not mind her head being petted. She also likes to roam outside her hide.

Aww....lucky. Spot only slithers out for a few minutes a night, the rest of the time he's in hiding!

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Originally Posted by dragonsong93

Aww....lucky. Spot only slithers out for a few minutes a night, the rest of the time he's in hiding!

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He must be really happy lol

Coming out at night frequently might mean that she's hungry too, just a thought =)

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

Coming out at night frequently might mean that she's hungry too, just a thought =)

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Nope, definitely not haha I feed her a fuzzy every Saturday! Even that night after eating she'll come out and say hello. :gj:

I think someone needs to go back over the ball python handbook, because mine are nothing like the ones the talk about. :-P

The absolutely do have differing personalities I have a few out going ones that if I go in and start moving things or changing water they almost always will spend a few moments checking things out night or day then return to hiding. They often will hang their heads out in the evening as well.

It is a careful line, a hiding snake is happy snake. Well, constantly hiding, I don't believe is good either, nor is constantly not. It is for me a matter of when and the type of activity. Long periods during the day is a sign something is wrong. A peek out to see what is going on is just curiosity. There is well documented evidence of this in the wild as well they are curious creatures.

The pace of activity is always worth noting a lazy hanging out and gentle poking around is normal but the constant frantic seeking for a way out is more an issue.

I don't know, my girl is just a weirdo I think haha if I change things too much during the day (like move a water bowl to a different spot) she insists on going around and doing her whole explore routine (though she prefers to save the routine for nighttime).

And by explore routine I mean she climbs over everything, hangs around, climbs up the side of the tank and pokes at the screen. And in the midst of this she'll pause and rest for a few and then continue on her way. She's even like this when I'm handling her, always poking at my pants and finding the limits to things. :P

Sounds like a normal ball to me. I've got some that feel the need to ALWAYS be into stuff and be nosy while I'm in the room. Others simply want to be left alone and have no problem letting me know I am bothering them. As long as she is eating and growing fine, I wouldn't worry too much. Some are just a little more active/nosy than others.

What kind of fuzzy are you feeding her? Rat? Mouse? ASF? Other? If that is her in your avatar, you might try bumping her up a prey size. I large rat fuzzy every 5 days would be a minimum for her in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by AK907

Sounds like a normal ball to me. I've got some that feel the need to ALWAYS be into stuff and be nosy while I'm in the room. Others simply want to be left alone and have no problem letting me know I am bothering them. As long as she is eating and growing fine, I wouldn't worry too much. Some are just a little more active/nosy than others.

What kind of fuzzy are you feeding her? Rat? Mouse? ASF? Other? If that is her in your avatar, you might try bumping her up a prey size. I large rat fuzzy every 5 days would be a minimum for her in my opinion.

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I've been feeding her what they were feeding her at the petstore, Arctic Mice fuzzies every 7 days. That is her in my avatar, I haven't actually measured her but I'd say she's about 1 1/2 feet...

How do you determine if a snake needs the next size up in prey? [And do these rat fuzzies come frozen, because that's the only option I have for me right now...]

Oh yeah, rat fuzzies shouldn't be too hard to come by. At her size she should be on at least rat fuzzies every 5 days. Pick a rat that is about as big around as the fattest part of her body or if you have a scale (produce scales work great) about 15% of her body weight. A mouse fuzzy is a small meal for her. I always insist that ball python owners start their balls on rats because they are more nutritious than mice and switching younger balls to rats is usually easier than switching an adult mouser. Its no fun having to feed an adult ball 5+ mice in a sitting when its easier, cheaper and healthier to give it an appropriately sized rat. So lets say, in theory, she weighs 200 grams, then I would feed her a prey item that weighs 30 grams or so every 5 days. After she hits a year old or so I would move her onto a 7 day schedule. This is just a general rule. You'll learn to read her as to her needs. Some are just slow growers and will only eat a small meal every two weeks. Others will eat 2 appropriate sized rats a week and beg you for more.

My Adelle flies out of her tub when I pull it out. She has no desire to escape she just wants something to do! I've never had a BP who enjoys exploring and being handled more than she does. Some BP's are just active - as a general rule your correct in assuming that a hiding ball python is a happy ball python - but as long as all the conditions are correct in her enclosure than enjoy your busy little ball. :D

I got a 2 year old boy who didnt grow at all his first year I think cuz he refused frozen for 3 months finally gave in to live he refuses anything smaller than a large rat. Hell eat every week as long as u give him somethin 1.5x his thickest point cuz I woulda thought with his appetite he woulda been bigger even for a boy 2 years old 600g he's really long but he isn't stout like you see most ball pythons he's a hair from touching the 55 gallon he's housed in end to end so nearly 5 feet at 600 grams I've never had a BP grow that sleek cuz he is perfectly heathy solid round and the most social snake I've ever owned and he's starting to pack weight the past 6 months but we all have our favorites

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